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This year I started attending Lakeville North High School after moving here from California. Being a new student can be very hard. When everyone already has their own friend groups, it can be intimidating to talk to people or hard to feel like you fit in. If you are a new student, although it seems really challenging, you are not alone. There are many people who switch schools late in their life and go through similar experiences.

When I came to Lakeville, I had a hard time fitting in and getting to know people. Even though we all live in the same country, cultures and styles are a little bit different depending on where you live. One of the first things I noticed when I started going to school in Lakeville was how many people wore camo, which no one wore where I went to school before. Another style here is the jeans with jewels or patterns on the back pocket.

Another issue I had with changing schools was that the class schedule was off. I am a senior, but I take a lot of classes with juniors or sophomores. It can be intimidating if you come to a school with a different educational background.

Last year, Senior Jasmin Kotek, moved here from Faribault High School.

“I was nervous, since it’s such a larger school in comparison to my old one, and it’s academically ranked higher, where my old one, we didn’t have any AP classes or anything, so it was nerve-racking because it felt like everyone was much more knowledgeable,” Kotek said.

Even though she was nervous, she was also excited to come to Lakeville.

“It was nice to come to a much nicer school system,” Kotek said.

The scariest part about coming to a new school is making friends and feeling like you fit in. Everyone is different, so everyone makes friends at a different pace. I’m a very shy person, and when I moved here from California I had a hard time making friends. For Kotek, making friends came easy.

“I thought [the hardest part] was going to be making friends, but that was actually pretty easy,” Kotek said.

It’s easier to come to a new school when the students are friendly and open.

“Everyone seemed very nice, very accepting. The school itself was very nice and well put together,” Kotek said.

It’s also helpful to have a guide to help you out.

“They had someone meet with me and show me around the school,” Kotek said.

Changing schools, especially if you’re moving across the country, can be very hard, but it can also be rewarding. You learn how to adapt to new situations, and you meet a variety of different people. Moving around a lot, I’ve been exposed to all different types of people from all different backgrounds. I think this taught me a lot about understanding all people and being open to new ideas, even if they seem wrong at first.